Taanakkaran on Excessive Subordination inside the police system

Taanakkaran Movie Review

 The film Taanakkaran was directed by former Police officer Tamil who showed the brutal training of entry-level police officers in a Police training camp.  The Police recruited a school located in Pozhilaru, Thirunelveli in 1998 where the trainees from recently selected and a few from the 1982 batch attended the training period.   

Vikram Prabhu’s Taanakaran movie review


  The trainee school has a parade competition at the end of the training period lays the foundation for brutality among the psyche of trainees.  The brutal treatment of the trainees reflects the colonial hangover in the present police system.    The constant abuse, casteism, abuse of power, humiliation and atrocities toward trainees by the Senior cops led to suicidal deaths and voluntary withdrawal from police training.

The plot of the story is the protagonist(Arivu) and a group of trainees entered into a Police recruited school.  Seeing the enslavement of trainees, Arivu questions the exploitation of the existing police training system - non-availability of enough toilets, misappropriation of funds, and manhandling of 1982 batch trainees. But the existing system wants unquestionable obedience where the trainees need to follow the order without raising their voices.  

The Police system justifies the rigorous training of low rung police officers in the need for robust Discipline and adaptation to undesirable circumstances in future duties and responsibilities.  

Despite the torture and excessive subordination of police forces, the low rung officers continue the job, not for burning passion but the prevailing poverty and familial commitment.

In the era of the 21st century, Police reforms are long needed for upholding basic human rights and bringing out the rationale police system.  Implementation of Prakash Singh committee recommendations such as the establishment of a Police establishment board to decide on transfer, postings, promotions and other service-related matters; set up Police complaints authority to inquire into police complaints against police officers in case of serious misconduct.

The film “Taanakaran” is streaming on Hotstar plus Disney.



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